Coco Gauff defeats Eva Lys to reach China Open semifinal | Tennis News

The second-seeded American reached her first semifinal since the French Open in June.

Coco Gauff put down a spirited challenge from 66th-ranked Eva Lys to earn a 6-3 6-4 victory in Beijing on Thursday and reach the China Open semifinals for a second successive year.

Gauff, who is bidding to become the first woman to win back-to-back titles at the WTA 1000 event, had battled through three-setters in the previous two…